Erich Weber
Voyager, true name Erich Weber, was a U.M.N. cyber-terrorist who lived 100 years ago on the planet Abraxas (later Michtam). Voyager was a notorious serial killer who stalked and killed his victims using the U.M.N. He served as Jan Sauer's (later Ziggurat 8) nemesis in the Xenosaga side story Pied Piper, where he was a U.M.N. operator and support agent who worked under Captain Jan Sauer in the 1875th Federation special-ops detachment squad. His partner is Mikhail Ortmann and he oversees operation of the combat robot Bugs. Erich is a complicated character because he actually has two personas - one is his 'real' identity as Erich, a member of the Federation police and talented programmer - and the other is his online identity as Voyager, a serial killer of unparalleled genius who preys on victims through the U.M.N. As Erich, he appears to be 28 years old, though he is in reality much older than that according to the Episode III database entry for "Erich Weber", suggesting he's over 150. Biography In the T.C. 4600s, genetic enhancement and cloning run rampant, and Erich is one of a batch of Designer Children who were produced approximately 150 years before the beginning of Episode I. The purpose for their creation is initially unknown (the Designer Children were actually produced by the Federation to combat the Immigrant Fleet/Ormus). In order to continue living, all of the members of this group are dependent on a drug that stimulates the thyroid to help control their metabolic rate. Erich gets his supply of the drug by working for Dmitri Yuriev. Another side effect of Erich's genetic manipulation is that he has a congenital brain disorder, which he controls by constructing working memory inside of the U.M.N. This is how he developed such an intense affinity with the network. He became addicted to information and dove deeper and deeper, trying to find what was at the center of the U.M.N. What he encountered was U-DO, which tormented him since Erich also received an intense fear from U-DO and saw the end of all existence. Erich feared dissipating into the Collective Unconscious. This drove him to become Voyager—a position that was originally occupied by Yuriev, who had a similar encounter with U-DO. ''Xenosaga: Pied Piper'' As Voyager, Erich kills many people, including Mikhail, Jan's wife Sharon Rozas, and her son Joaquin Rozas. Voyager also massacred lots of infants known as the Nursing Plant Incident. Bugs later terminates his own life after discovering the truth about Erich. After Yuriev stopped delivering the drug to him, Erich allowed his body to die and entered the U.M.N. to appeal to U-DO. U-DO rejected him, however, and it was under the threat of imminent destruction (for once his brain decayed his consciousness would die) that he was approached by Wilhelm to become the Black Testament. After killing Sharon and Joaquin, Erich faced Jan as the Black Testament and gave him a choice: join them (presumably as another Testament) or be killed and have his consciousness absorbed into Voyager's. Jan, of course, chose neither and suicided. Between Pied Piper and Episode I After those events, Voyager disappeared from history during 100 years, presumably assuming Wilhelm's dirty work, in exchange of the promise of eternal life through Eternal Recurrence. ''Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht'' He appears during one of Ziggy's flashback, as well as during the ending sequence in Wilhelm's office along the Blue and Red Testament in the Animation version of Episode I. ''Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse'' He pilots a black humanoid E.S. Dan with large, plate-like wings and fanned tail, accompanied by numerous cannon drones. When in transit to Old Miltia, Shion Uzuki and Allen Ridgeley were attacked by him. Whether this was to stop them or possibly gauge KOS-MOS's abilities when she promptly rescued them, is currently unknown. He later appears in the Omega System with the rest of the Testaments. Ziggy attempts to shoot Voyager, but Voyager uses a portal, causing Ziggy to attack and damage himself. Xenosaga I & II In Xenosaga I & II, his role is significantly expanded and he actually gets speaking lines. He speaks to Ziggy on the Omega System after unmasking for the first time. This leads to Ziggy opening up about his past to Shion and the others later in the game. Before that he confronts U-TIC / Ormus A.M.W.S. pilots Richard and Hermann and speaks with them. ''Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra'' Voyager is sent to kidnap KOS-MOS in her version 4 before she awakes for T-elos to be able to absorb her. He has a confrontation with the team on the Elsa, especially with Ziggy and Shion, yet his attack on Shion makes KOS-MOS awake. The team proceeds to fight him. After losing, he abandons his mission and flees. He is later seen at Michtam's Archon Cathedral for a final showdown between him and Ziggy. He reveals Canaan's true identity of Lactis and that Canaan/Lactis has been monitoring everyone using Program Canaan for the past 15 years. Voyager reveals what he wants: eternal pleasure, and to enjoy his eternal life along with Ziggy. He engages everyone in battle in his E.S. Dan. After battle, Ziggy chooses to confront Voyager out of the E.S. Voyager easily defeats Ziggy. Canaan creates the doubt in him of Wilhelm's true intention, and gives him the fear to lose the powers Wilhelm gave him. Canaan offers him to absorb the power of the Compass of Order so that Voyager can have the power of a god, what Voyager accepts and thinks to be Wilhelm's full power. Yet the powers of the compass is too much for him, and destroys both Voyager and Canaan, putting an end to Voyager's life. Quotes * "No, you're still suffering, even now. Aren't you? Time stopped for you on that day. You can never escape from it. If you'd heeded my warning and become a Testament together with me, you wouldn't have had to suffer like that." * "I became a Testament to escape the fear of death, and to obtain eternal pleasure. It had nothing to do with you, Jan Sauer. The reason I concern myself with you is extremely simple. I just want to enjoy my eternal life along with you." * "One hundred years ago, you ignored my words, and ended your own life. That... is something I cannot accept." * "Exactly. This is the place where the curtain was closed. Now, let's move on to the encore. Except this time, I will have the pleasure of finishing you off, myself. Just like I did your own son." Trivia *Erich's name may be a reference to Erich Van Houten of Xenogears. *It is ironic that Voyager dies at the Archon Cathedral on Abraxas/Michtam, which is the same location where he became a Testament. *"Net Preacher" is a term used by people in the V.L.V. to refer to Voyager. People in the anti-U.M.N. group, which had obtained fragmentary information related to Voyager, thought that he confined the consciousness of the victims he killed inside a virtual space he had constructed within the U.M.N. In fact, Voyager's victims see him as having provided the world for which they had hoped; the have no victim mentality. This ingenious approach earned Voyager this name comparing him to a street preacher. Gallery Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse ZiggyPTSD.gif|Ziggy having PTSD flashbacks of Voyager killing Sharon and Joaquin. Voy21.png|Voyager in the Omega System. Voy22.png|Voyager in the Omega System. ZiggyShootsVoyager.gif|Ziggy shoots Voyager. ZiggyVoyagerDS.png|Ziggy and Voyager. Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra 33.png|Voyager breaking into the Elsa in an attempt to steal KOS-MOS. 36.png|Voyager chokes Shion to death. VoyagerKOSMOS.gif|KOS-MOS throws Voyager across the room. KarmaMiasma.gif|Karma Miasma. ZiggyPenetrateVoyager.gif|Voyager being finished by Ziggy. VoyD1.png|Voyager dies. VoyD2.png|Voyager dies. 012Black_Testament.png|Black Testament (masked). 008Voyager.png|Black Testament (unmasked). 009Voyager2.png|Black Testament (with Gnosis "Karma Demon"). Category:Characters Category:Pied Piper characters Category:Episode I characters Category:Episode II characters Category:Episode III characters Category:Male characters Category:Antagonists Category:Testaments Category:Enemies Category:Bosses Category:Deceased Category:Federation officials